Golden Shoes rides again: Samuel Sanchez returns to BMC

Announced by BMC and reported yesterday in Cyclingtips, Samuel Sanchez has resigned with BMC for the 2015 season. Here at VeloVoices we like to think that our #SignSamu campaign played a small part in persuading both parties to ink another deal.

Recently, Samu’s been enjoying the muddy terrain of Northern Spain where cyclo-cross is as popular as it is in Belgium, winning the Asturian championship on home soil and finishing 32nd in the Spanish national championships. It was clear he wasn’t ready to hang up his cleats.

Last year, Samu was one of BMC’s leading contributors. He finished sixth at the Vuelta a Espana and fifth at Il Lombardia while regularly playing the role of super-domestique for Cadel Evans and Philippe Gilbert, who triumphed at Amstel Gold and the Tour of Beijing.

We are pleased to extend our relationship with Samuel for the 2015 season. He was a great contributor to our success in 2014 and we expect to see the same again this year. His programme will focus on the grand tours and WorldTour races where his strong experience and multitude of skills will be a big benefit to the team.

Sanchez said returning to BMC was the perfect fit for him in the twilight of his career. We anticipate a similar contribution from him this season, but he will more probably focus on mentoring the recent influx of young talent into the team.